Dry or pressure-sealing envelope



July 1, 1952 v. E. HEYWOOD DRY OR PRESSURE-SEALING ENVELOPE 2 SHEETS SHEET 1 Filed NOV. 24, 1948 fuzz-7223? Ytncenf EfHe ywood %1 7% July 1, 1952 V. E. HEYWOOD DRY OR PRESSURE-SEALING ENVELOPE Filed Nov. 24, 1948 2' SHEETS-SHEET 2 frzv'srzl 'ar Vi'ncenl Eifieyw'ood A arnev Patented July 1, 1952 Vincent E. Heywood, Worcester, Mass, assignor to United States Envelope Company, Springfield, Mas-5., .a corporation of Maine ApplicationNovember 24, 1948, Serial No. 61,776

I This :invention relates to improvements in the, constructionxand manufacture of so-called dry or pressure-sealing envelopes, being envelopes which are adaptedto :be adhesively, sealed 'with-,

out-the usualwetting orlicking of :seal gum or glue on their closure flaps. Ina dry or pressure-,'

sealing envelope, the closure flap, insteadof carrying we'ttable gum or glue, carries an area of tacky rubber latex, or similar material which, upon thefolding down of said flap, adheres and seals, by contact and pressure, to a complemental area of the same material provided on the body portion or wall of the envelope.

Dry .or pressure-sealing envelopes as heretofore constructed have usually required the use, in machines for their production, of expensive and elaborate drying apparatus, bywhich to subject the two latex coatings of each envelope or envelope blank to a prolonged drying period, because "Without such drying, the latex, which has to be applied in thin liquid form, would be transferred or smeared onto other areas of the zenvelope material, in the various machine opera.- tionsgthat ,procure the completion and/or the handling of the envelopes.

To avoid the complications .of so drying the latex coatings on theenvelope material in process, it has heretofore been proposed to apply and dry the latex upon separate stripsof paper or the like, and then to paste two such strips, by their uncoated surfaces, to the rear wall and the closure flap respective-1y .ofeach envelope, using a folded-over extension of one strip as an insue lationbetweenthelatex coatings. However, the cost of making dry-seal envelopes in the abovedescribed: fashion is very high, because it involves the separate handling and pasting on of two different latexed strips, and also the need for special measures to insure the spacing of both-strips atexactly the same distance from the fold-line of each envelopes closure flap.

One of the principalobjects of my invention is tosimplifyand reduce the manufacturing costs of dry-seal envelopes'that utilize such pasted on latex-coated strip material. To that end both-of the complemental mutually adhesive areas are furnished by a single suitably folded strip, which, as hereinafter described, it pasted simultaneously to each envelopes rear wall and closure flap respectively. I 1

,;A further object ofjmy invention is to provide this pasted on latex-coated element ofgeach envelope a form jwhichxtemporarily anchors the it c aims (01.229 40) closure flapin a zfql'ded-oversposition, thus tgiving the maximum protection, against .access of dust and dirt tothe vlatexed areas thereof, and alsoagainst premature or accidental contact between any of such mutually-adhesive areas, in the handling of such envelopes by users or consumers.

Afurther object of my invention is to provide in such a dry or pressure-sealing envelope, an effective pull tab by which opening or lifting of the sealedclosure flap is secured, not by ruptureof the latex connection or seal, but rather by rupture of one of the pasted connections of said latex-coated strip; thus my improved envelope can always be opened more quickly and cleanly than other dry sealed envelopes, whose opening operations are not only difficult and time-consuming, but oftentimes cause strings or streamersiof the dry-sealingmaterial-to be drawn across the mouths of the envelope pockets.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, .in

which 7 V Fig. 1 is a schematic view illustrating the manufacture ofthe material for the aforesaid folded latex-coated strips, used in making envelopesin accordance with the preferred form of my invention. H a

yFig. v2 iis a larger scale cross sectional view .of said :strip :rnaterial, the -section being taken on the'line '2, {of Fig. 1. g

.Fig. -3is-arear view ofa conventional envelope, before its conversion, according to my invention, into a dry or pressure-sealingenvelope. v

Fig. is'a face view ,of a strip cut offfromthe product shown by Fig-s 1 .and 2, said strip being cutrto .a length appropriate for incorporation,

according to my :invention, .-with the envelope of Fig. '3. v v ,7 l 1 Fig. 5 is a rearview, partlyebroken awaypof one of "the completed envelopes of my invention, as produced by combining the strip of Fig. 4 with t he envelope of Fig. "3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional'v'iew, on an exaggerated scale, of the completed envelopeof Fig. :5, the section being taken on the lineB, "6

of Fig.5. V Fig.- 7 .shows 'fragmentarily "the envelope "of Fig. 15, with its closure flap lifted or opened up,

preparatory-to fillingorloading; V J Fig. 8 is a view similar .to Fig. '7 .showingsaid envelope after closure .flap has, been turned down and dry or pressure-sealed. i

,Fig.;.9 isa view similar to Figs. 7 andl8 showing how said dry or pressure-sealed envelope is pulled open.

Fig. 10 is a rear view showing a refinement or added feature in connection with the preferred form of my invention shown by Figs. 1 to 9 inclusive.

Figs. 11 and 12 are sectional views, similar to Fig. 6, showingtwo other forms of my invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

My improved dry or pressure-sealing envelope is essentially a two-piece device, one piece being an envelope (see Fig. 3) of any conventional construction, and the other piece, which is glued or pasted to said envelope, being a folded paper or like strip (see Fig. 4) that provides interiorly, as hereinafter described, the two complemental latex coatings by which the dry or pressure-sealing of such envelope is obtained. Fig. 1 indicates schematically a way by which the material for supplying great numbers of the folded strip pieces of Fig. 4- can readily be manufactured in a continuous manner, by certain operations performed upon a web or tape of paper or like material which, as drawn from a supply reel or the like, notshown, is to be understood as moving lo'ng'it'udinally in the direction shown by arrow A. The numeral I in Fig. 1 represents said moving paper web after it has been progressively'acted upon, first by suitable coating devices, not shown. From said coating devices, the moving Web I, along its centralportion 2 and along one side or marginal portion 3,- has already received on one face, two narrow latex bands 'or stripes corre sponding respectively to the stippled areas 4 and 5 of Fig-l; these two latex coatings, applied in liquid form, have been dried by the web's progressive passage through said drying devices, and it will be understood that the two latex bands 4 and 5;shov' vn by Fig. 1, having undergone such drying, are ineondition for said web to undergo the two progressive longitudinal folding operations indicated by said figure, and hereinafter described. v V :It will also be understood'that said web -I-, by-its movement past suitable slitting or perforating devices, not shown, has received along its'narrow uncoated area 6 between the latex bands '4 and 5, a continuous line of slits or perforations indicated at 1, I, which enable thestrip material, for a purpose to be described, to be readily pulled asunder on substantially the boundary line'between its central coated portion 2 and its outside coated portion 3. Said 'webs other outside portion-8; which is here shown as being practically aswide-aseach of the coated portions 2 and 3, does not receive'on either Ifaceany latex coating. As the above' described we'b'material moves along; its two outside portions 3 and 8 encounter suitable-folding devices, not shown, that operate progres'sively, first. on the 'uncoated outside portion 8 to fold same over on linea a against the latex coating 4 of central portion 2, and then on the coated outside portion 3 to fold same over on the'line of slits 1, 1 against the folded-down uncoatd .web portion 8, the latter being thus interposed or interleaved (see Fig. 2) in the resulting folded and narrowed traveling web 9 (see r ght handend'of Fig. 1 between theweb portions} and 3, so as to insulate and prevent contact between the latters mutually adhesive inwardly facing latex coated areas 4 and 5. a

'Any pieces or stripsof 'appropriate'length (such as the strip I9 of Fig.4) that arejcut from this 3-layer web 9, areadapted to be combined with 4 ordinary envelopes, to make the latter dry or pressure-sealing, in accordance with my invention. For purposes of such dry-seal envelope manufacture, the folded web material 9, as fast as it is made, can be accumulated in rolls, for future use, in the manufacture of my envelopes, or al ternatively, as fast as it is made, can be cut up in pieces or strips [0, ID for direct application of each successively cut piece, either to any envelope (see Fig. 3) that has been completely folded and seamed, or to any envelope that is in process of being formed. It is only necessary that the envelope be one whose closure fiap II, when folded over on score line l2, l2 to its closed position shown by broken line l3, covers a sufiicient area on the envelopes wall I4 for the folded strip in to be glued or pasted by its two opposite external surfaces, to said closure flap and to said wall area, wheninterposed between them.

For obtaining such adhesive connection of the folded strip in to the envelope, wet glue may be applied, either to both outside uncoated surfaces of the folded strip piece H), or as indicated bythe stippling in Fig. 3, to matching areas l5 and I6 on the envelopes rear wall and closure flap, of substantially the same size as the strip 1 0 and equidistant from the fold line [2, l2; in the latter case, the envelope of my invention is completed by registering the strip H) on one of said wet glue areas l5 or l6, and then folding down the closure flap l I, so that the folded strip 10 will be pasted by one of its external surfaces to:

the closure flap, and by its other external surface to the envelope wall, as shown by Figs. 5 and 6.

Such external surfaces of the folded strip material are, as best shown in Fig. 2, the uncoated surfaces of the strip portions 2 and 3. In the preferred form of the envelope of my invention shown by Figs. 5 and 6, the folded strip [0 is so interposed between envelope wall and closure flap, that the strip portion 2 is adhered to the envelope wall l4 while the strip portion 3 is adhered to closure flap II. In so combining each folded strip ill with an envelope, it is to be noted that the strips fold ca, between portions 2 and 8, is maintained at the strips lower edge, i. e.,the edge farthest from the fold line ll of the envelopes closure flap II. i It is further to be particularly noted that in the above-described preferred form of the envelope of my invention, the folded strip It! serves to anchor-the closure flap H in its folded-down posi tion on the envelope, a circumstance which not only protects the latex surfaces 4 andifrom any access thereto of dirt and dust, but also insures against any accidental contact between the-latexed areas of a plurality of such envelopes, such as frequently occurs in the handling of all pre viously-known types of dry or pressure-sealing envelopes when their latexed areas are prematurely or-other-wise exposed; I

However, such closure flap anchorage, in the completed envelopes of my invention, is no detriment to their ready availability for loading and use, since theanchorage or connection established by strip I0 is readily breakable along the perforated or weakened line 1, I. That is to say. a user of one of my completed envelopes (Figs. 5 and 6) needs only to exert a light upward pull on its so-anchored closure flap l I',to cause breakage of the connecting strip I!) along its perforations or slits T, 1, as indicated at H in Fig; 7:; which shows .my envelope opened up, for -load-' ing .of its pocket, this: manipulation exposing the :latex 5 on the closure flap, but. leaving the rear wall-latex 4 still covered by the overlying strip. portion 8.

IFor sealing the envelope, after it has received its contents, the user needs merely to turn back the insulating strip portion v8, for exposure of.-

the .rear wall latex 4, and then to fold or press down'thev closure flap H, as indicated inrFig.

8, this operation causing the two complemental latexed areas 4. and 5 to adhere firmly to each.

other, for thedry or pressure-sealing of the velope.

It will be obvious, in the use of my invention, that this sealing procedure may be modified, in.

as a part of the dry or pressure-sealed envelope, affords a definite advantage in the use ofsthe perienced by recipients of same in pulling them open, due to the fact that the seal between the contacted mutually-adhesive latexed areas of closure'fiap and body portion is usually very strong and resistant to rupture; furthermore in the act of breaking this seal, some of the latex frequently pulls loose, and is drawn out, by'lifting of the closure flap, in' irregular strings :or streamers, which extend across the mouth of the pocket and thereby obstruct access/to the pockets contents. These difficulties are overcome in the envelope of my invention, whose strip portion 8, after serving as an insulator as above described,- before the envelope is sealed, becomes available for pull tab use by the recipient of the dry or pressure-sealed envelope to open the latter with the utmost ease and dispatch. The recipient of one of my envelopes in its sealed condition (Fig. 8) can open same readily, merely by seizing and pulling upwardly the exposed strip portion 8. The strain of such pull comes not at all on the latex seal (contacting coated areas '4' and 5) but only on the glued or pasted connection I5 by which the strip portion 2 is secured to envelope walll i. Consequently, it is this glued or pasted connection that undergoes rupture, as shown at I'8, i8; Fig. 9, by the above-described pull, the latter lifting not only the closure flap I l; but also with it the strip portion 2 which is integral with said pull tab 8.

An added feature or refinement-of this preferred form of my invention is illustrated in Fig. 10, this involvingthe provision on strip-portion 8 of wettable seal glue or gum IQ of the same character as that commonly provided on the closure flaps of ordinary envelopes. Such -'wetta-' ble seal glue l9 would be applied toan'd dried on the reverse side of the traveling web 1 of Fig. 1, before the longitudinal folding operations are performed thereon, and would supply my improved envelope'with sealing n'ieansfor a second or return use. In other words, after this dry 'orpressure-seal'ed envelope has been opened in the manner indicated by Fig, 9, it can" be re=sealed for a'second use by moistening-the glue l9-of 6. theportion 3 and sticking same down against the back wall 14. 1

it will be understood that the foregoing. is not to be taken as limiting my invention to envelopes equipped for 'dryeseal purposes with coated and folded stripfmaterial of the specific constructionshown by Figs. 1 and 2 nor to the particular way .shown. by Fig. -6 of combining such. coated. and folded strip material with the, body and closureflapof an envelope. It. is with-, in the scope of my invention. to use, for example,

latex. coated. strip material which is folded in Z fashion, asshown sectionally at '20 in Fig- 11. In this modified form of my invention, it is the-uncoated central portion 2| of the strip that serves as an insulator between the two portion 25. by its uncoated surface to the en-.

velopes closureflap I I. The line of perforations or slits on which'this Z folded strip is pulled asunderisindicated at 26, :along the fold be tween the strip portions 2| and 25. In this embodiment of my invention, the strips insulator portionzl, after the envelope has been dryor pressure sealed, is exposed onthe envelope, for service, in the same fashion as the insulator portion 8 of the preferred embodiment, as apull tabto secure easy opening of theenvelope, by rupture of the glued or pasted conneotionb'etween'the strip portion 24 and envelope wall M.

In Fig. 12, the Z-folded strip 20 is shown adhered byits portion 25 to the envelope wall l4 and by its portion 24 to the closurefiap l l as so arranged, the strips insulator portion 2|, when the strip breaks apart on its perforations 26 as flap I! is turned back .for loading the envelope, is left on said flap, .and is swung down to expose the 'flaps latex22 for dry or pressure-sealing contact with the other latex area 23 on the envelope wall. .In the so-sealed envelope, insulator 2 i-is exposed as a convenient pull tab, by which to effect the envelopes opening, but in this case rupture may take place either at the glued connection'of strip portion 25to wall [4, or at the latex seal between strip portions 24 and 25, depending'upon which is least resistant to such pull. i

a I claim:"

l. A dryorpressure-sealing envelope of twopressure-sealing envelope of two-piece construction, one piece beingconstituted by an'envelope body having a closureiiap, and the other piece beingj aqstrip folded to three-layer form and adhesivelyconnectedby its two outside layers to saidbody. and flap, to hold the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in foldeddownposition onsaid body, the inwardly facing surfaces of said two outside layers having complemental :coatings "of dry-sealing material,-

which are maintained out of contact by the third layer of said folded strip.

3. A dry or pressure-sealing envelope of twopiece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a single strip folded to threethickness form and providing .two complemental coatings of dry-sealing material in insulated relation, said folded'strip being adhesively connected .to both body and closure flap, to hold the latter, "prior to opening 'of the envelope for loading, .in folded-down position on said body, the material of said folded strip being weakened, to provide for its lengthwise parting, in response to lifting of said closure flap, to open the envelope for loading.

" 4. As a new article of manufacture, a dry or pressure-sealing envelope of two-piece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a strip .folded to three-layer form and adhesively connected by its two outside layers to said body and flap, to hold the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in foldeddown position on said body, the inwardly facing surfaces of said two outside layers having complemental coatings of dry-sealing material, which are maintained out of contact by the third layer of said folded strip, the material of said folded strip being weakened along one of the folds between" its layers, to procure its parting, response to movement of said closure flap toward open position.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a dry or pressure-sealing envelope of two-piece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a strip folded to three-thickness form and adhesively connected by its two outside thicknesses to said body and said flap, to hold the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in folded-down position on said body, the inwardly facing surfaces of said outside thicknesses having complemental coatings of dry-sealing material, which are maintained out of contact by the third thickness of said folded strip, said third thickness beingmovable, forthe envelopes dry or pressure sealing by contact of said coatings, to an exposed position, for service as a tab by which to pull open the so-sealed envelope.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a dry or pressure-sealing envelope of two-piece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a strip-folded-to three-thickness form and adhesively connected by its two outside thicknesses to said body and said flap, to hold the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in folded-down position on said body, the inwardly facing surfaces of said outside thicknesses having complemental coatings of dry-sealing material, which are maintained out of. contact by the third thickness of said, folded strip, said third thickness being movable, for the envelopes dry or pressure sealing by contact of said coatings, to an exposed position, for service as a tabby which to pullopen the so-sealed envelope, on one of said adhesive connections of said strip.

I '7. As a new'article of manufacture, a dry or pressure-sealing envelope of two-piece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a strip folded to three-thickness form and adhesively connected by its two outside thicknesses to said body and said flap, to hold the latter, prior to loading and sealing of theienvelope, in folded-down position on said body, the inwardly facing surfaces of said outside thicknesses having complemental coatings of dry-sealing material, which are maintained out of contact by the third thickness of said folded strip, said third thickness being movable, for the envelopes dry or pressure sealing by contact of said coatings, to an exposed position, for service as a tab by which to pull open the so-sealed envelope, on the adhesive connection of said folded strip to said body.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a dry or pressure-sealing envelope of two-piece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a strip folded to three-thickness form and adhesively connected by its two outside thicknesses to said body and said flap, to hold the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in folded-down position on said body, the inwardly facing surfaces of said outside thicknesses having complemental coatings of dry-sealing material, which are maintained out of contact by the third thickness of said folded strip, said third thickness being movable, for the envelopes dry or pressure sealing by contact of said coatings, to an exposed position, for service as a tab by which to pull open the so-sealed envelope, by rupture of said dry or pressure seal, or of the adhesive connection of said strip to said body.

9. A dry or pressure-sealing envelope of twopiece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a single strip folded'to three-layer form and adhesively connected by two of its layers to body and closure flap respectively, said strip having two complemental latex-coated areas normally maintained out of contact by the third of its layers.

10. A dry or pressure-sealing envelope of twopiece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and

. the other piece being a single strip folded to three-layer form and adhesively connected by two of its layers to body and closure flap respectively, said strip having two complemental latexcoated areas normally maintained out of contact by the third of its layers, and having a weakened zone, along which it is torn asunder in response to movement of said closure flap toward open or loading position.

11. A dry or pressure-sealing envelope comprising a body portion, a closure. flap and an interposed paper or like strip folded longitudinally in two places to interpose an outside or edge portion thereof between its other outside or edge portion and its central portion, the inner surfaces of said two last-mentioned portions being coated with dry-sealing material, and the outer surfaces of said two last-mentioned portions being glued to said body portions and closure flap, to retain the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in folded-down position on said body portion. a

12. A dry or pressure-sealing envelope comprising a body portion, a closure flap and an interposed paper or like strip folded longitudinally in two places to interpose an outside or edge portion thereof between its other outside tions being glued to said body portion and closure flap, to retain the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in folded-down position on said body portion, the material of said strip along one of said folds being weakened, for easy breakage, in response to movement of said closure flap toward open position.

13. As a new article of manufacture, material for supplying elements for attachment to ordinary envelopes to make them dry or pressure sealing, said material being a strip folded longitudinally to three-layer form, and having latex coatings on the inside surfaces of its two outside layers, and with its third layer between said coatings.

14. As a new article of manufacture, material for supplying elements for attachment to ordinary envelopes to make them dry or pressure sealing, said material being a strip folded longitudinally to three-layer form, and having latex coatings on the inside surfaces of its two outside layers, and with its third layer between said coatings, the material of said strip being weakened along one of its folds.

15. In an envelope of the class described, a body portion and a closure flap, each carrying an area of dry-sealing material, said areas being complemental to one another, a single piece of folded strip material glued to body portion and closure flap respectively and providing both of said areas, said piece having a portion adapted normally to insulate said two areas from one another, and said insulating portion when re reversely folded to permit contact of said areas for dry sealing of the envelope, being exposed on the so-sealed envelope for service as a pull tab to procure opening of said envelope by rupture of one of the glued connections thereto of said strip.

16. In an envelope of the class described, a body portion and a closure flap, each carrying an area of dry-sealing material, said areas being complemental to one another, a single piece of folded strip material glued to body portion and closure flap respectively and providing both areas of dry-sealing material, said piece having a portion adapted normally to insulate said two areas from one another, said insulating portion when reversely folded to permit contact of said areas for dry sealing of the envelope, being exposed on the so-sealed envelope for service as a pull tab to procure said envelopes opening on the glued connection of said strip to said body portion.

17. As a new article of manufacture, a dry or pressure-sealing envelope of two-piece construction, one piece being constituted by an envelope body having a closure flap, and the other piece being a strip folded to three-thickness form and adhesively connected by its two outside thicknesses to said body and said flap, to hold the latter, prior to loading and sealing of the envelope, in folded-down position on said body, the inwardly facing surfaces of said outside thicknesses having complemental coatings of drysealing material, which are maintained out of contact by the third thickness of said folded strip, said third thickness being movable, for the envelopes dry or pressure sealing by contact of said coatings, to an exposed position, for service as a tab by which to pull open the so-sealed envelope, on the adhesive connection of said folded strip to said body, and said third thickness having a coating of wettable gum or glue, by which to obtain re-sealing of the so-opened envelope.

VINCENT E. HEYWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 366,188 Richards July 5, 1887 1,655,242 Rich Jan. 3, 1928 1,768,836 Gjorup July 1, 1930 1,985,194 Smith Dec. 18, 1934 2,102,001 Heywood Dec. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 520,174 Great Britain Apr. 17, 1940 

